Flotation ore-concentrating apparatus.



0. ALLEN. FLOTATION 08E CONCENTRATING APPARATUS;

APPLICATION .msb OCT. 12.11am.

Patented Dec. 2?, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

k 0. ALLEN. ROTATION ORE CDNCENTRA'HNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. I916.-

'Patnited 1m 25.1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

o. ALLEN. V ormon ORE GONCENTRATING PPARATUS.

ArrugfAnor-m'sp 001.12. I916.

Pamnt'a Dec.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

03mm ALLEN, or DENVER, co omo.

rLo'm'rIon OBE-CONCENTBATING APPARATUS.

To'all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ORREN ALIEN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, resid ing at thecity and county ofDenver and State of Colorado,have invented a new and useful Flotation pro-Concentrating A pparates,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a-newcontinuous centrifugally operating oilflotation ore concentratingapparatus; and the objects of myinventionare:

Fi t, to-provide an oil flotation concen-- tration apparatus forores'in'which the ore pulp and 011 and air are kept in constant andcontinuous movement in the apparatus while bein mixed and commingled -together, and

- them in constant and rag:

w into the concen- 8O 'view, on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

in w

the colloidal matter or mineral particles can ch there are no corners orspaceswhere collect and pack.

Second, 'to provide an oil flotation concentration apparatus for ores inwhich theore pulp and oil anda supply of air are circu latedcontinuouslyland automatically by.

taken apart when itis desired to clean the same and. put together againby unskilled,

labor, and that draws air into it by suction. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1, is a plan view of the improved oil flotation ore concentratingapparatus.

Fig. 2, is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view on the line 2--2 ofFig, 1.

Fig. 3, is a vertical, transverse sectional Fig. 4', is a-side viewpartly in section, showing one of the ore-pulp-receiving cylinders, anda portion of the 'ad]oin1ng mixing cylinder, also the radial bladeswhich are supported around said mlxmg cyl nder.

' ,Fig. 5, is avertical, transverse sectional f view onlthe line 55 ofFig. 4..

Fig; 6,, is a -horizontl sectional view I Specification ofLettersratent, Patented Dec; 25, 1917. Application filed October12,1916; Serial No. 125,219.

through-a portion of one of-the receiving cylm ers and the adjacentpartition, showmgthe'manner in which the dividing blades and theirsupporting disks are pressed agamst one end of each receiving cylinder,

and are thereby held-stationary.

Fig. 7, is a vertical, longitudinal sectional I view of one of therotary mixing cylinders.

Fig. 8, is a front view-of one of the rings which are-clamped againstone of 'the blade holding plates of eachpair, in the manner shownin-Fig. 6.

Fig. 9, is an-end view-of one-of'the packng boxes and its supportinplate, which forms the closure for one of t e end ore circulatlngcompartments-j And b Fi 10 is a side-view ofone of the com- 1n the are pprec'eivin'g cylinders. v

Similarletters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring tothe drawings,- Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent. ana paratusembodying my invention, and in these figures, as well as in some of theremaining figures, the numeral 1 designates the first umt of a multipleunit oil flotationconcentrating apparatus. he numeral 2 designates thesecond unit, and the numeral 3 designates the third unit.

4 These units are .all alike in their mannerof receiving, mixing,concentrating, and. separating the mineral values from ore pulp to whichoil has been addedt o eflect aconcentration of the mineral particlesthat mix with oil'and air that have been added to the ore pulpeitherbefore the ore ulp is fed into the apparatus or after it is edinto the apparatus, and alsoa'separation by floating the concentratedmineral and oil product a from the ore .pulp into'preferably a filter,

from which it is either conveyed to further treatment or is shipped to asmelter.

.1 preferably illustrate my oil flotation concentration apparatus madeup into a three unit machine, although if desired only one or twounitsmay be used, or as many units 'may be added to the threeillustrated as it is thought necessary. to effect asatlsfactoryconcentration of the mineral values of the ore pulp.

Each of my three 011 flotation concentrating units comprises an ore pulpcirculating compartment 8, and a settling, concentrating and separatingcompartment 9 The three ore pulp, 011 and air mlxing and cm pulpinletand air inlet pipes for parating units are mounted in a threecompartment tank having ends 4 and 5 These compartments are separatedfrom each other by pa-rt-it-ionsti and 7. f

This tank'and its ends and the; partitions therein that form themixingand. concentratingcompart-ments, may be made of'metal or wood, asdesired. I preferably'ho'wever, construct them of,wood Each. oneflof thethree sets of compartments forms with the mixing; mechanism .therein acomplete oil flotation and'concentrating unit by itself, but

.' they are united into coiiperatingxunits to eni able a more thoroughconcentration andfis'eparat-ion of'the mineral values than one Wl-ll ve.

The ore pulp circulating.compartments 3 have their rearendportions'sloping down to their ertical end portionsyform'ing anarjating compartments hare theirinner ,wa

angle-shaped bottom end each. The sep- 10 sloping toward their. outervertical 'walls 1 1,:whichforms an angled bottom end in each, I whichpermits; the heavier particles 25 which it is easily'and quicklyreinovedfrom' :as will scribed.

to settle'into a narrowlspace in' each from be hereinafter clearly de--'The ore' ulp,;oil"and air mi'xin Hitchenism of eac 1 unit consists. ofthe ollowing i instrumentalities,-which .are all mounted on arotatingshaft 12,- that is journaled in hanger bearings 13 at itsopposite ends, tha.t are secured to and depend from" channel Ibe'a'ms'14, that "extend across the opposite ends'of the tank and reston columns 15, that project vertically up'i'va'rd from the ground orfrom. suitable foundations-or from the 'floor of a mill; I preferablymake" these columns however of concrete, :There are two sets of thesechannel beams 14, and the beams of each set are placed back to back;

.with a space between them, and the flanges 16 of the hanger'bea'ringsare boltedto their lower flanges 17," .1

- This rotating shaft extends through suitgable stufiing boxes 18,,thatsurround the shaft and are secured to the opposite ends of the tank.

These stufling' boxes are provided with flanges 19 and'19. thataresecured to the opposite ends of he tank, and also with lugs 20 that arecured to the under side of cross beams Q1, that are secured to channelbeams 22 and- 23.. .'These beams. and

channels support the weight of the tank,

which is suspended wholly from the beams, and does notrest on anythingat any part of its bottom portion. The object of this dependingarrangement of the tank with its various compartments is to insure,thealinement of the ore pulp mixing and circulating mechanism, in casethe wood Work )f-thetank warps badly. Thesides of-the ieparatingcompartments are provided with 271'through "a 'launder2-9 orothersuitable plank extensions '24 that are always dry and are providedsolely to prevent that portion .of each side that is constantly wet withthe 'ore pulp, from warping enough to spring leaks The two beams- 22 and23 extend along and close' to the opposite sides of the tank,

1 which is secured to and supported bythem,

preferably bybeing bolted to them. 4

' -'A- thirdchannel beam '25 extends across .the endsaof theseparatingcompartments, the ends 'of )vhich. are extended as shown at 26and rest upon the said beams and 23.

The-ore pulp is received into unit number '1", through apl e 27 that ispreferably provided witha opper 28 at its upper end, which-receivesthe-o'repulp from stamp or a. ball mill 'orfro'l'n someo'ther orecrushmg -or 'pulverizing, machinery, which I do This ore stream that is'called ore'p'ulp.

e inlet pipe pulp flows tot-he hopper oft conveyen. Thelower end of theore pulp inlet pipe-27 is threaded toan aperture 30 formed in a"receiver 31 which. preferably 'con'sists.of-'a cylindrical casting thatissecured to and is supported dependingly from a cross tie beam 32 bybolts 33.v The beam 32 is'secured at its ends to the sides of the tanlnThis cylinder is provided with a' semi-circular" row of holes 31* in itstop surface, which-admit ore-pulp-to its interior from the circulatingcompartment 8, as

.will be more fully described hereinafter.

The outer end of thisore pulp receiving 'cyli nder.31.fits into andextends through an aperture formed in the end' 5, 'of,the tank,

and ahub portion 24 formed on the flange of the adjacent stufiing box18, extends into the end of the receiver far enou h to center the"stufiingbo x and theore pu p receiving cylinder. together concentrical yto the ro' ta'tings'haft. i

The opposite end of this'ore pulp receiving cylinder extends against aring shaped plate 35, that is held be resently describe n the shaft withone end close to the ad jacentside of the plate 35, a rotating cylin-"derr36' is mounted; This cylinder comprises an end flange .37, on whicha hub 38 is'formed that fits-on the shaft and is secured thereto.

against rotation, as will ,not illustrate, where it is mijXed with asufii eient amount of i'vate'r to-,form a flowing preferably by a pin 39that extends through the hub and through the shaft. 011 thecircumferentialrp'eripheral edge of this fl'a-nge,

a drum'poi ti'on 40' that preferably consists] of apiece of pipe, isfitted, .and'is secured thereto preferably by threaded pins 41, thatextend throughthedrum into' the casting. The-opposite end-of the drumfits tightly overfa thin flange 42, that forms the opposite end {of thecylinder, This end fla nge is pro vided with an axial aperture that isenough 5 larger than the shaft to form a circular passageway for the orepulp from the receiving cylinder, which is drawn through this aperturefrom the receiving cylinder into this rotating ore pulp, 011 and airmixing cylinder.

' The peripheral surface of the drum por- .tion 40 of the cylinder isprovided with numerous rows of holes 43 throughout its circumferenceandits length, enough being provided to readily discharge by centrifugalforce the ore pulp emulsion as fast as it flows into it from thereceiving cylinder, as will be presently described.

At the side of the hub end of the cylinder, j

its flange 37, but does not bear against it or against theopposite endof the cylinder,.as the rin s are stationary while the cylinder rotatesetween them.

These two ring shaped plates 35, 44.

larger in diameter than the mixingcylinder, and'their peripheral edgesare provided with a circumferential row ofradial slots 45, and

also with annular grooves 46. These slots '45 are adapted to receive andsup ort be-.

tween the plates 35 and 44 a-circum erential, row of ore pulp dividingblades 47,; The

radial slots 45 are of equal number and size in eachplate, and theiropposite ends are provided with an inward offset that allows th e'j edgeof these blades to be-peened' or -swaged into annular grooves-which actsto rivet-the blades to the plates, and the in wardlyotfset portionextends through ,the'

slots 45 and down the inside of these plates a short distance and thenacross to the'oppo site plate, as will be understood by Figxtil Theplates 35 and 44 are mountedaon the opposite adjacent ends of the ore,pulp receiving cylinders-of the units 1 an 2, and in orderto lace andhold them on the ends of these cylinders they are each divided 'into twoequal halves, thediametrical divisional line being placed between twoopposite airs of blades, and in order to hold these ates with theirradiating blades concentrically on the ends of these cylinderslprovideeach half of the plates with three pins. Two of these pins 48 arepositioned in a concentric circle, that enables them to rest on theoutside peripheral surface of the adjacent ends of these stationarycylinders, while the third pin 48" is positioned to project into andrest close against the inner peripheral surfaces of these cylinders inorder to mount these halves onto the ends of these cylinders after thecylinders are positioned around the driving shaft in the ore pulpholdlng compartment 31 of the unit 1.. The ad acent ends of these twocylinders are each provided with a slot 49 that extends entirely throughtheir shells, and when placing the first half in position between thesestationary and the rotating cylinder the inner pin 48 is the stationarycylinders, and then the two outslde pins 48 will rest on the outsidepepassed through this slot into the interior ofii riphery of thesecylinders, and' these first circular plates, with the inner edges oftheir .blades fitting closely and concentrically entirely around therotating cylinder, which rotates within them, and-so close to them.

that the ore ulp discharged and thrown out by it throng its numerousperi heral holes is subdivided into numerousxthin sheets as it flowsinto the body of ore pulpin this ore pulp holding chamber of the firstunit.

The baflle blades 47 are placed and secured preferabl closer togetherthan. the diameters of t e holes through the circumferenceof the mixincylinder, and the slots in the .plates are 0 a de th that will bring theinner edge of each lade as close tothe ro-' tating surface ofthecylinder as it will rotate without bearin against them, in order thatthe ore 'pu lp t irown out of the holes ofthe rotating, cylinder maymove radially between each two blades without-parsing under thein.

The re'piilp mixing cylinder. is rotated by abe t driven pulley 50, thatis mounted A onthe shaft 12' outside of theend 5 of the tank, and shouldmake preferably about 31,200 revolutions per minute. This speed,however, may be increased or diminished to suit different ores. Thepulley is positioned between two depending hangers" 13 that firmlysupport the shaft on opposite sides of it. The ring shaped plates 35 and44 and their blades'47 are held from rotatin by winged screws 51, whichare threaded t rough the hub 52 of a disk 53 that is secured to theopposite side of the partition 7 from the ring plate 44. These ringplates 44 separate the ore pulp circulating compartment of each of theconcentrating units from the others in the concentrating tank.

These screws 51 are threaded through the hub 52 of the disk 53 and areextended This ring disk is provided witha narrow annular lug oh, thatprojects from its side TilClHg' the ad acent blade supporting plate,

.g-aud when the screws are turned to press J iagainst this'ring dlHliits annular lug engages the adjacent side of the flange 4% and forces itand its blades and the flange on the. opposite side of'the bladesagainst the end, of the first units ore pulp receiving cylinder 31,-andthe outer end of this cylinder 31 bears against the circular'flange orhead ofthe adjacent stufiing box 18, which flange is and the end 9*"-the tank and between the rotating ore mixing and cent-rifugally dis-vcharging cylinder and the adjacent endslofboth the first unit and thesecond unit'ore pulp receiving cylinders between whichfthis rotatingcylinder rotates, to prevent the ore v pulp from circulating andlodging'between them. Consequently the ore'pulp must flow into thisrotating cylinder and out through its holes between the blades and intothe ore pulp holding chamber. 80f the first unit of my oil flotationmachine, from which it flows through one-or more apertures 57 formed inthe side )5: of the tank, into the" ore pulp" settling and concentratescollecting and separating compartment of, the unit 1,

to the bottom 'of'which api-pe ,58 extends, from the ore the unit 1.

l he rotating ore pulp, oil and air mixing .cylinder rotatesat such ahighrate of'speed thatit creates a suction-force sufficient tocontinuously draw the ore pulp that is' con.- tinuously discharging fromthe circumferential circle of blades into the ore pulp holding chamber,which is-ke t full from its pointed bottom up to the ischargingholes 57that allow it toflow from this ore pulp circulating compartment into theseparating compartment of the unit 1.

The air supply is also drawn into the ore pulp by the suction created bythe IOtati"8 and centrifugal force actions of the mixing cylinderrotating at a high rate of speed.

The air is admitted to the ore pulp receiving cylinder in the followingmanner:

A-pipe 59 of somewhat larger diameter than the ore pulp feeding-in pipeis threaded to an aperture in the top of the ore pulp receivingcylinder, and the upper end of this pipe extends upward from thiscylinder, to close to the top of the ore pulp or the water line of theore pulp, and its end is covered with a screen 59f of coarse enoughrnesh to admit-the ore pulp which overflows .nto it and runs down intothe ore receiving :hainber but fine enough to prevent the oil irothtliat'collects on the top of the ore pulp From flowing into the pipewith the ore. pulp,

pulp receiving cylinder 31- of as this oil froth is a concentratedminerals particles containing froth that moves into screen, by anysuitable neans. The upper end of this pipe opens to the atmosphere,

and 'avalve- 62 is'inserted in the pipe to regulate the flow of air:downinto the ore pulp receiving cylinder. The action of the unit 1 is afollows:

.The ore pulp witli w liich oil is preferably mixed beforethe ore .pulpenters the ore pulp receiving cylinder, which can be efl'ecb edby[lowing a stream-of .oil of the volume required into the hopper from atank 63"- through a pipe 6l, entersthe ore pulp'cham berand the. orepulp at its'top line flowing. down also'into this cylinder-through thescreen by gravity and assisted by the suction force of the rotatingmixing cylinder, draws the air bysuctioir when the valve is opendowninto the pipe 59 and through it into the receivingcylinder and fromit into its -1nter1or. The air drawn down by suction into the pipeencountersinnumerable small "s'treams"ofz or pulp that .arecontinuouslyflowin from the 10p of the body of ore pulp, andconsequently :the inflowing air commingles' through the-screen intothe-pipe with the ore pulp flowingvin t o'the cylinder 31 through thispipe 59. Then the whole body of ore pulp is drawniby the suction forceof the rotating cylinder into the interior of it, and thei'o're pulp andoil and air arethoroughly mixed and commingled together, and thesemixedproducts are dis charged by centrifugal force through the holes in thecircumference of the rotating c linder between the circumferentialrow-0f b ades- 47, which divides itinto a circiim-,

ferential'row Of thin sheets of ore pulp into the ore pulp in, the orepulp circulating compartment ofnnit 1, which body of orepul 'is ept incontinuous -.circu latioh b Y being.

; drawn from the sloping and pointed bottom portion of this chamber bythe suction action of the rotating mixing cylinder through the pipe 58and the top of the body of ore pulp overflowing into thepipe 5? into theore pulp. receiving cylinder, the inflowing and the mixing centrifugallyforcing out and re and throwing out drawing in and remixin action beingautomatical y continuous, especially for the purposes of preventing eventhe least possible portion of the heavier par-' ticles of the ore pulpfrom settling in the bottom or corners. of the ore pulp holding chamberor in any part of its apparatus.-

This thorough mixing, and commingling of theore pulp, oil and air causesthe air to break up into small bubbles, and the oil to divide into smalldrops, and as both have operation the-three units of my oil flotaheseemingly an affinity for the lighter mineral particles, or the functionof attachingthemselvesto and surrounding the mineral parveyed away.tofurther treatment ortoa biiy u I .The 'o're,pulp with-theyalvecontrolled The ore pulp and. gangue matter that ticles, and as theconstantly agitated ore pulp flows .from the ore pulp circulating.compartment through the aperturesfi'l. in the side wall X into theseparating 'compart-" ment, where the ore pulp comes to a slowunagitated flowing mass that is insubstantially' such a restfulcondition that the heavier mineral and the gangue matter sink to thebottom of it and the'lighter-mineralparticles are buoyed up and arefloated bytheairand,

oil to the top surface in the form of a frothy mass whichgraduallyfloats continuously to and discharges from the discharge'lip'65 of the separating compartment and drops into a filtering box 66,which may be of any-suitable-construction, fromwhich it may be conwhic-hi do'not illustrate. I

settle in the bottom of the'separating com-f partnient is sucked upthrough a pipe 67 by,

the suction action of. the centrifugal force of the rotating mixingcylinder of the second unit. of the machine.

" The second and. third'unitsof myoil flotation ore concentratingapparatus are in construction, arran ement and tion just like that ofthe 'rst'unit, and ey each contain all of thepafts of'the first unitexcept dividing blade.

theore pulp feeding-in pipe and hopper, and 3 reason a; etaildescriptionof them is unthe oil sup ly tank and its pipe, an for thisnecessary. There are however features of cooperative construction,arrangement and operation between the units that-are novel andnecessary. to attain'the best results in the concentrating treatmentofores, whichollows: The ore pul receiving cylinder 55* of the secondand t ird units and also the hub portion on the flange head 19 of theadlacent stuffing box 18. PI'OjBQt through and'fromthe rear end of thetank and thepartitions spectively to allow their ends that are adjacentto the rotating cylinders to receive and be connected to the ring-shapedore pulp The supportin and 44. also fit over both ends of t e ore p'ulpreceiving cylinders 55 and 55 of the 11111135 2 and 3 and over the innerend' of the hub on the flange 19 at the rearof the thutd unit,

thus forming a close jointed andcontinuous construction of the ore ulpreceiving, mixing, agitating, and circ atmg mechanism in axial alinementwith and concentr c to-the longitudinal axis of the rotating drivinshaft 12- that insures-steady, permanent an continuous high speedcapaclty of the app'aratus.

The complete and continuous cooperating lows - high' sucked:

plates 35 the ore to flow tron ore concentrating-apparatus, is as fol"-The shaft-.andthethree mixing-and centrifugallydischarging cylinders arestarted to rotatin atria-high rate; of speed, refer-T ablyfnot e'ss thanabout 1200 frevo utions per minute. The ore pulp and oil are then'turned into. the hopper. and inlet. ,pipe and theyfloyvintothereceiverof' I umt-.1.' The valves 62 of all of the air et ipes thatenter the screened pi '59' are alrsoopened and each of the rotatingcylinders-"draws air. -from the atmosphere thrbugh' these ipesinto'the-receiving cylinders 31, 55 an of all three units, and'fromthein into their. interiors b suction, which is causedby the Eggl-centrifugal forceactio'n thati forces. eore pulp-swiftly through :thenumucus-holes throughout their peripheral surfaces tedamount'of oil andair is y m the cylinder 31 of the first unit j through the apertures "inthe top and u of thereceiving cylinder and throughthe- '1 opening in.the end flange 420i the rotating cylinder 36,-in'to' the interior ofthat cylinder. n"- is subjected w the high rotatlve of that cylinder,and is. swirled 4 and mixedand commingled together and "the oil andairis throughout the ore pul'p,"'an'd the mineral particlesat- ",tac'hthemselves tothe walls of the air bubbles that'f-are formed in the orepulp. Boththeoil and the air and the mineral particles have 'an'afiinitive attraction foreach other,

and will unite in ore-pulp when the ore pulp is thoroughly agitated andthese elements are 'ven freedom of action. f

T ehigh- 'rota'tive speed of the mixing cylinder 36 of thefir'st unitforces-the ore .pulp',- oil and air swiftly through the holes 1n itsperipheral surface of this cylinder out ...fro'm" its. interior betweenthe stationary bafile blades, which divide the orepulp into numerousstreams, a machine of about 300 tons capacity per'da 'beingpreferablyprovided with about eig 'ty-eight blades, which makes eighty-eightnarrow (passageways for it is forced to'flow swiftly before it mingleswith'the body of the ore ulp in the circulating compartment .8 of t is.first unit.

The circulating compartment '8 of this first unit, fills up to theoverflowin and dis-"- charging line, which .we will cal the ore ulpwater-line,'instantly after. the ore pulp is turned into the machine,and its shaft and mixing cylinders are started to rotating. Consequentlythe eighty-eight narrow sheets of mixed ore pulp, oil and waterare'forced into the body of ore pulp inthis compartment,,an'd thisbodyof ore pulp is drawn through 'which.

6 58, by the suction pulling constantly back into the receiving cylinder31 through the screen fromits water line overflowing port1on,,and.al s0from the bottom of this compartment through the pipe 'trifugal ,force ofthe mixing cylinder 36. of

the unit 1,-and constantly whilefthis remix'-.

ing operation is going on, the top portion ofthe now-thoroughly mixedore -pi1lp,- oil It); andair is overflowing into' the separatingcompartment through the apertures," as fast as it 'is runninginto thisunit. Constantly the ore pulp in this circulating compartment '8 isdrawn-back into the receiving-cylinder it from both its top and bottomportions, and is'remixed and passedth'rough 'the rotatin cylinder andbet'ween'the' baflie blades,:an

the i'vhole body of ore pulpin this compart-.-'

force of the cen-j.

tion by this mixing cylinder 36* of this 'second unit, through thescreened pipe59 at its 'waterfline'and the depending pipe .58 intoritsrece' iving cylinder and through the holes 211" iiililie top of thereceiving cyllinder into ihSYQiiitei-i'or and is again mixed andthrqwrr'out a ai'n through its holesbetweeh the bafiie p ates again intothe body oftheore pulp intthe compartment o'f-this second unit,-fromwhich it is continuously.

overfiowing into the'separating compartment,of. this secondunit 'where'a settling and floating,- iseparationaa'nd concentration 1 of its-airbubbles and oil incased mineral takes place, which discharges over thelip 'of-thiscon' partment i'ntothe fil'ten-66. I

"The settling gangue and mineral particles of the-ore pulp are sucked upthrough a pipe -ment is keptin-suc'h a rap d circulating mo-. thatjit isimpossible for any gangue or- Iiuneralor collo dal matter of any'kmdto-'68, from the bottom of the compartment'of the separating compartment ofthis second unit into the receiving cylinder'55 xof'thesettle infandfllodge or pack in' any part 'o'fitl'. .l The oiland air mixedore'pulp as-it-oveb' 5 flows iron! the circulating compartment mm the,separating compartment. enters-1a, suD- stantially quiet body of orepulp, and the mineralj particles that have'not-received a .sufiicientcoatin of airbubbles -and oil to. 0 floatthem-to et er with thegangue-matter, settle to the. ottom of the separating'compartment whilethe .mineral" particles thatv {:ave become suificiently coated with airbub-' Ice and oil to be floated, rise to the top "sur- 3 face of the oreJpulp as concentrates in the form of an oilyfroth, which is moved-by theinfiowin'g body'ofpre. pulp to thedis-- jchargin'g lip 65 of thissettling .floatingand separatin compartment, and discharges over the lip65 anddrops preferably into the V filter-'66, from which the accumulatedconcentrates are removed from timeto timeby,

any suitable means.

. The non-floated mineral particles of the .ore pulp together with thegangue-matter- 'thereinbis drawn. fromthefbottom ofthe separatingcompartmentcf the first unit as fast as it settles therein by'the'suction force of the mixing cylinder of the concentrating unit 2,through the pipe 67 which leads from the bottom of the compartment ofthe separating compartment to thereceivi-n'gjc'ylinder 55 of the unit 2,from which itis drawn by the rotating cylinder 36*,tog'ether with airwhich it sucks in from the 'valved'air' and the screened pipes 59 and60.

This high speed rotating cylinder 36 of;

this second unit then agitates, mixes and discharges by centrifugalforce the ore pulp through the holes in its peripheral surface, into andbetween the Bethe plates surround ing itand into the circulatingcompartment 5 ofthisseconcl unit, from the top and bot-' tom of whichthe orepulpis drawnjby sue-- inder 36 of this third unit. The receivingthirdunitby the high ,speedmotating cylcylinder o f-thi's'third unit isalso provided [with ore pulp inlet holes 315 in its top sur- .faceand-with a' 'scr een.ed 0re pulp and a valved air inlet pipe and-a pipeleading to the bottom. of the circulating. compartment ofthis' thirdunit, andfthe rotating cylinder is also surrounded with baflie, plates,consequently exactly the same continuous cen trifugal force' mixing,agitating, suction, circulatingaction takes place in the compartment 8of this third unit-as in the first and second units, and the orefpulpoverflows 4 ,cont-i'nuously into its separating c0m'part-- ment 9and thesamesettling, floatin and concentrating'action takes place and -t e.oilfroth concentrates discharge from it into. the filter 66. The settlingsin'the compartment of this third unitseparating'compart- -ment arecalled; tailingsfand they are ale lowed to discharge through. a pipe 69that is provided with \a suitable valve to regulate,

their flow so as to maintain the concentrates -discharging line at thetop of the ore pulp in this compartment;

In the concentration of some particular characters of ores I have foundin practice that the battle plates can be dispensed with. This isparticularly so when concentrating vanadium ores, and consequently myinvention contemplates the use of the receiving,

'mixing and circulating mechanism either with or-without them. y

y oil' flotation ore concentrating apparatus provides a positive,rapid,ore pulp and oil and airmixing and recirculating mechanism, thatresults in a very high recovery of the mineral values from ores; andwhile Ihave illustrated and described the preferred construction andarrangement of my invention, I do not wish to be limited toit, as manychanges imght be made Having described my invention, what I- claim asnew and desire to secureby Lettore Patent, is:

1. An oil flotation ore pulp concentrating apparatus comprising'an orefipulp agitating compartment, a submerged, xed ore pulpreceivingcylinder in the agitating compartment and a rotary mixing cylinderadjoining and in axial line with the receiving cylinder and adapted todraw ore therefrom by suction force, and being'provided with pe ripheralore discharging apertures, means for rotating said mixing cylinder, anda pipe for feeding ore to the receiving cylinder.

2. An oil flotation ore concentrating apparatus, comprisin meansincluding ore pulp receiving, centr fugal and suction action members,iand means including a screened ore pulp-and air admitting member and a.valve controlled air inlet member connected to the suction member andadapting the same to automatically draw an ample supply of air, from theatmosphere by suction.

3. An oil flotation ore concentrating apparatus, comprising an agitatingcompartment provided with means includlng a rotating shaft, a fixed orepulp and oil and air receiving cylinder and a rotatin centrifugallyoperating mixing and circu ating cylinder mounted on said shaft, andmeans including valve controlled air intake members extendin into theatmosphere and connected to said fixed ore pulp receiving and saidmixing cylinders, said ore pulp oil and air mixing and circulatingapparatus being arranged to automatically draw a predetermined andregulated amount of air from the atmos here by suction, a screened orepulp pipe extending from said fixed ore pulp receiving cylinder to thelevel of the. ore pulp in said agitating compartment adapted to permitany excess flow of ore pulp to flow back into said fixed ore pulpreceiving cylinder, said screen being arranged to exclude the oil frothon the surface of said ore pulp in said agitating compartment fromflowing into said pipe.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with anagitating tank, of a submerged ore pulp receiving cylinder in said tank,said ore pulp receiving cylinder comprising a cylindrical open endedstationary member, having a semicircular row of inlet holes in its upperportion, an inlet pipe extending from said receiver to the water levelof the tank, a screen on the water level end of said pipe, adapted toadmit ore pulp to said pipe, but to exclude the oil froth therefrom, avalved air pipe secured to said screen and extending up into theatmosphere above the ore pulp, a pipe extending from said receiver tothe bottom portion. of the tank, means for drawing the ore' pulp from.the receiver and discharging it in the surrounding body of water, and anore pulp inlet feed pipe for the ore pulp receiver.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with anagitating tank, of a submerged receiving cylinder in the agitating tank,a rotatable agitating cylinder in axial line with and communicating withthe receiving cylinder, .havi'ng peripheral apertures and adapted todraw material from the receiving cylinder and expel it through saidapertures into the agitating tank, a feed hopper and a pipe connectinthe same with the receiving cylinder, an means 'for admitting air to thereceiving cylinder.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with anagitating tank, of a stationary submerged receiving cylinder in saidtank, a pipe for feeding material to the receiving cylinder, and a pipefor admitting air to the receiving cylinder, a. rotary bladed agitatingcylinder adjoining and in axial line with the receiving cylinder, havingperipheral apertures, and being arranged to draw the material from thereceiving cylinder by suction force and discharge it through the saidapertures into the agitating tank, a .valved pipe leading from thebottom of the settling tank, and a pipe leading from the receivingcylinder to the bot tom of the agitating tank.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with anagitating tank, of a submerged stationary receiving cylinder in theagitating tank, an agitating cylinder in axial'line with the receivingcylinder and adjoining the same, and havin a plurality of aperturesextending througg its wall, a power driven shaft extending looselythrough the receiving cylinder but rigidly connected to the agitatingcylinder,

'said cylinder acting to draw material from the receiving cylinder anddischarge it into the agitating tank, a pipe for feedin material to thereceiving cylinder, a pipe leading from the receiving cylinder to theWater line of the tank. a screen on said pipe, a valved pipe foradmitting air to the screened pipe, and a pipe connecting'the receivingcylinder with the bottom'portion of the agitating tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORREN ALLEN.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT Enuorr, ADELLA M. FowLn.

